Durham have told the English Cricket Board they expect to be hosting Australia in two years' time after becoming the game's newest Test venue.

After more than a year of preparation, the region's first Test match gets under way this morning when England face Zimbabwe at Chester-le-Street.

But, while Durham are delighted to have become the first new English Test venue for 101 years, they are already aiming for bigger and better things.

And Chief Executive David Harker has hinted that the county will be disappointed if they are only given Tests against the games lesser powers. "There is a feeling that we are about to become the home of third world cricketing nations coming to England," said Harker who, along with chairman Bill Midgley, has been a major player in bringing Test cricket to the North-East.

"But we want to be in there with the big boys and that means getting the likes of Australia to play a Test match in the near future at Durham.

"No disrespect to Zimbabwe or any of the emerging nations such as Kenya, who did so much to light up the recent World Cup, but our aim is to get noticed and in that respect we want to get the Aussies here before long. If we have any sort of ambition at this cricket club that as to be our aim."

Durham's progression from minor county to Test venue in a little more than a decade has been one of the game's most remarkable success stories.

But the club's ambition has still not been completely satisfied, with hopes of seeing a Durham-produced player one day captaining his country, running alongside plans to attract the world's best side to the Riverside.

Harker added: "Our ambition is now focused on getting the Aussies here in a Test match and for the England team to be captained by a home-produced Durham player.

"People will say that is not feasible, but when we first said we would set up first class cricket in Durham there were many who said it was not possible.

"Then when we said we would build a new venue at the Riverside which would be a Test match stadium. Again, we were told it could not happen.

"We are used to getting knocked down and told it cannot be done, because that is what this cricket club is all about. The Aussies may not be here in 2005, but one day we are convinced it will happen."

And after Newcastle-Gateshead were surprisingly pipped to the post by Liverpool for the title of European Capital of Culture in 2008 yesterday, Durham hope the region's first Test can relieve some depression.

Harker said: "The North-East has just lost out on the culture bid, but we hope the Test match against Zimbabwe will show what the real North-East culture is all about and that is sport."